LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



(Djaju iojojriglji Ifo- 

Skeli\L-C-£73 



.12 



J J r 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE 



(twelve Virtues 



OF A 



Good Teacher. 



Mothers, Instructors, and all charged with 
the Education of Girls. 



By Rev. H. POTTIER, S.J. 
Jo 

** ^i7 From the twelfth French edition. 

V A SISTER OF MERCY. 



WRIGHT** 

' 211890' 



NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO : 

BENZIGER BROTHERS, 

Printers to ihe Holy Apostolic See. 

1890. 






Copyright, 1890, by Benziger Brothers. 






Wn flanj, 



"the wonder in heaven, 

clothed with the sun and crowned with 

twelve stars," 

who, when upon earth. stood by the cross, 

and, upon leaving it, 

bequeathed us her virtues. 

The Translator. 



PREFACE. 

In the " Twelve Virtues of a Good 
Teacher " we offer to all charged with the 
education of young girls, either in their 
own families or in schools, the best man- 
ual of instruction in regard to their duties 
that we believe exists. This little book is 
really an adaptation of the " Twelve 
Virtues of a Good Teacher," written by 
Blessed de la Salle, the founder of the 
Christian Schools. From it many teachers 
have derived rules of conduct which have 
assisted them greatly in their difficult 
functions, but the greater number, by 
far, have not had recourse to it, because 
it was not written for the instruction of 
girls. That this valuable w T ork may be 
put in universal use, we have modified it, 
having due regard for the difference of 
temperament, character, early education, 
etc., which is usually found in children 
of both sexes, and also in the persons 



2 P7'eface. 

charged with their education. This 
modification in no way changes the na- 
ture of the original work, and derogates 
nothing from its merits, but only renders 
its usage more wide-spread and, conse- 
quently, more useful. Blessed are those 
children whose teachers practise the 
" Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher," 
and more blessed still are those teachers 
themselves. 



CONTENTS. 

Page 

Preface, i 

I. Gravity, - • 5 

II. Silence, 9 

III. Humility, 14 

IV. Prudence, ----- 23 

V. Wisdom, 33 

VI. Patience, 40 

VII. Discretion, - - - - -44 

VIII. Mildness, - - 48 

IX. Zeal, ..... 79 

X. Vigilance, 87 

XI. Piety, - 93 

XII. Generosity, - 99 

Conclusion. - 105 



THE 



TWELVE VIRTUES 

OF A 

GOOD TEACHER. 




I. GRAVITY. 

ravity is that virtue which regu- 
lates the whole exterior of a 
teacher according to order, mod- 
esty, and decorum. 

The teacher who possesses this virtue 
carries herself habitually in a natural 
and easy manner. She avoids the ex- 
tremes of constraint and affectation, also 
all unnecessary movements of the head, 
such as tossing it or turning it from side 
to side at every word, as well as distort- 
ing her countenance or laughing when 
speaking; her expression is uniformly 
serene, and her manner affable; she says 
little, and in that there is no sharpness, 
bitterness, or incivility towards any one. 



6 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Convinced that gravity, modesty, and 
reserve do not exclude kindness or even 
tenderness, she endeavors by these good 
qualities to gain the affections of her 
scholars; for she knows that they will 
then listen with greater pleasure to her 
instructions, be more docile in accepting 
them, and more faithful in practising 
them; but she never permits them to 
take the form of familiarities with an)' 
one. 

Far from desiring that her scholars 
should fear her, her aim is to gain their 
confidence, that she may the better gain 
a knowledge of their virtues to cultivate 
them, and of their faults to correct them, 
if not entirely, in as great a measure as 
possible. She avoids all asperity of 
manner as well as arrogance or self-suf- 
ficiency; in a word, all that might make 
her seem harsh, ill-humored, indifferent, 
or hard to please. In her voice there is 
nothing sharp or authoritative, which 
might cause the children to conceal 
from her their true dispositions or hide 
the evil which she might remedy, thus 
preventing the development of the good 
qualities which lie dormant within them. 

She will oblige them to respect her; 



Gravity. 7 

for scholars will not heed what is said to 
them by one whom they do not esteem; 
and as she is never unmindful of her 
obligation to set them a continual ex- 
ample of every virtue, she will conse- 
quently show forth in her whole exterior 
the propriety and reserve which are the 
fruits of her piety, understanding, and 
wisdom. Above all, she will always pre- 
serve her tranquillity by the evenness of 
her humor and disposition. 1 She guards 
against unbecoming postures and all 
that savors of levity or frivolity; but, as 
gravity carried too far would cause her 
to be insupportable to those around her, 
she knows how to keep it within reason- 
able bounds. 

Thus this virtue, well understood and 
founded upon exalted sentiments, pre- 
serves good order in the class, and causes 
the teacher to maintain the dignity of 
her position, holds the scholars to the 
faithful performance of their duties, and 
inspires them with confidence, affection, 
and respect. 

1 This evenness consists in not allowing herself to be trou- 
bled by anything that may happen. It is acquired by form- 
ing a just idea of things, by moderating her desires and fears, 
and by holding herself in readiness for whatever may hap- 
pen. 



8 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Besides the faults opposed to gravity 
which we have mentioned, there are 
others into which a teacher should never 
fall, namely: outbursts of temper, vio- 
lence, fierce, menacing looks, impatience, 
impetuosity, roughness, abusiveness, an 
ironical manner of speaking, or a sim- 
ulated sweetness. 

There are certain defects also which 
a teacher should avoid: such as jesting, 
grimacing; giving such penances as might 
cause laughter or disturb the order of 
the class; scornful or contemptuous airs; 
dark, gloomy, or frowning expressions; 
certain bad habits of hemming, hawking, 
and similar noises; affectation, gruff - 
ness, pomposity; imperious, bombastic, 
conceited, solemn, or mysterious man- 
ners; pedantic airs; sudden movements, 
shrugging the shoulders, gesticulations; 
striking the desk, chair, or forms, to at- 
tract the attention of the scholars or to 
inspire them with fear. 

" Be thou an example of the faithful 
in word, in conversation, in charity, in 
faith" (I. Tim. iv. 12). 

" These things speak, and exhort, and 
rebuke with all authority. Let no man 
despise thee" (Titus ii. 15). 



II. SILENCE. 

I y the virtue of silence we are here to 

g^ understand that discretion in re- 
vE7~y gard to speaking that causes a 
teacher to know when to keep silence 
and when to speak. It also causes her to 
avoid the opposite defects, which it equal- 
ly condemns, namely, loquacity and taci- 
turnity. 

The first duty of the virtue of silence 
is to procure order and tranquillity in the 
class, which insures the advancement and 
proficiency of the scholars, and conduces 
to the comfort of the teacher as well as 
to the preservation of her health. If the-se 
essentials are wanting, a teacher will be 
exposed to great inconvenience. 

If the teacher speaks much the scholars 
do the same. They ask unnecessary 
questions and make irrelevant answers; 
they speak of matters that do not concern 
them, and try to justify themselves as 
well as others, and a general disorder en- 
sues. 

It is of experience that the teacher who 

9 



io The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

speaks much receives but little attention, 
and but little importance is attached to 
her words; whereas, if she speaks but sel- 
dom and then to the point, the scholars 
listen to her words, remember them, and 
profit by them. 

It is well known, also, that the teacher 
who speaks much is in perpetual agitation, 
and she consequently fatigues and even 
exhausts herself. Teaching is necessarily 
very trying to the constitution, and to do 
it properly a conscientious teacher will 
willingly sacrifice herself, but always judi- 
ciously; she will avoid imprudence in ac- 
tion and in ail manner of teaching, which, 
without being of use to others, may be 
injurious to herself. 

There are certain signals, sanctioned by 
custom, to maintain silence by warning 
as well as checking the scholars and re- 
calling them to a sense of their duty, so 
that the teacher is obliged to speak only 
when she cannot otherwise make known 
her desires. 

But besides admonishing her to be 
silent when they answer her purpose, 
they also intimate to her the necessity of 
having recourse to words when they fail, 
and it is at this conjuncture that the sec- 



Silence. 1 1 

ond duty of the virtue of silence begins. 

She is obliged by her duty during the 
time set apart for lessons to explain them 
and assist the scholars to answer correct- 
ly; during the morning and evening de- 
votions to urge them to perform these 
properly, and to give them the points for 
the examen of conscience or meditation; 
but on such occasions she should .limit her- 
self to what is absolutely necessary, avoid- 
ing all superfluous words; in doing more 
than this she would fail in the virtue of 
silence. 

As the principal object of the teacher 
is to implant in the hearts of the children 
all Christian virtues, she should en- 
deavor to enlighten their understanding 
and touch their hearts by means of the 
truths which she sets before them. To 
render her instructions effective, she must 
strive to be penetrated with the senti- 
ments that she wishes to instil into the 
hearts and minds of her hearers. " If 
you would persuade," says St. Bernard, 
" it should be more by affecting senti- 
ments than by mere declamation." l Many 
examples prove that an able teacher may 
exhaust herself by arduous labor in vain 

1 Serm. 59, n. 83, upon the Canticles. 



1 2 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

if she is wanting in true zeal, while an- 
other, of very inferior talents, but pene- 
trated with the truth of what she advances, 
produces the most salutary effects. 

Therefore a conscientious teacher will 
consider as faults against the virtue of si- 
lence: ist. Speaking without necessity or 
not speaking when necessary to maintain 
silence; 2d. Carelessness in saying what 
she is obliged to say, on account of not 
having foreseen the occasion, its attendant 
circumstances, its necessity, the most suit- 
able time, and the good or evil that may 
result from it; or in not expressing her- 
self with sufficient energy or accuracy, in 
hesitating or seeking far-fetched terms, or 
in beginning before she has fully decided 
what she is to say upon the subject, or 
upon the method of saying it; 3d. Oc- 
cupying too much time in conversation 
with the friends of the scholars, or with 
other externs, or with her sisters in relig- 
ion, even though she may consider such 
conversation beneficial; 4th. Listening to 
public news or that which the scholars 
may make known to her of the outer 
world; and, finally, speaking too fast or too 
slowly, or not speaking plainly, or in top 
loud or too low a tone of voice, so that 



Silence. 13 

the scholars cannot hear or easily under- 
stand all that she says. 

" Every idle word that men shall speak 
they shall render an account for it in the 
day of judgment" (St. Matt. xii. 36). 

" Speak thou the things that become 
sound doctrine" (Titus ii. 1). 

"When you speak do not hurry your 
words, say only that which is true, and 
let them be of moment, and speak but 
of God or for God " (St. Bernard). 




III. HUMILITY. 

umility is a virtue that gives us a 
just estimate of ourselves, accord- 
ing to the words of the Apostle, 
" What hast thou that thou hast not re- 
ceived, and if thou hast received, why 
dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not re- 
ceived it?" (I. Cor. iv. 7, 8.) Thus this 
virtue directly opposes the vice of pride, 
which makes us appear in our own judg- 
ment greater than we in reality are, and 
causes us to entertain unjustly an exalted 
opinion of our own excellence. 

Our divine Saviour taught us the ne- 
cessity of this virtue, when He said: "I 
say to you, unless you be converted, and 
become as little children, you shall not 
enter into the kingdom of heaven " (St. 
Matt, xviii. 3). Terrifying menace, which 
particularly applies to those charged with 
the education of children ! 

But what are the real characteristics of 
humility in a teacher? We shall explain 
them. 

1. Her humility should be essentially 

14 



Humility. 15 

Christian. The possession of this virtue 
will render her faithful in her duty to 
God and to her neighbor, not alone to 
her superiors, but to her equals and even 
inferiors. A teacher who is placed over 
others should be careful not to exact 
from them any abject or humiliating 
office, nor even to permit any that she 
would not be willing to render to them 
when necessary. In doing so she would 
fail in the virtue of humility. She should 
be humble in thought, ever conscious of 
her own utter nothingness; humble in 
heart, loving her own abjection; and hum- 
ble in deed, carrying her humility into ev- 
ery action. 

Certainly, she is never forgetful of the 
excellence and nobility of the end for 
which she has been created; but she will 
also consider the sad state to which she 
has been reduced in consequence of the 
sin of our first parents: the darkness of her 
understanding, the weakness of her will, 
and her utter inability to perform any vir- 
tuous action without God's assistance, 
which is the sad lot of fallen humanity. 
However, she encourages herself by the 
thought that God will never fail her in 
her time of need, provided she does not 



1 6 The Virtices of a Good Teacher. 

abandon Him first. But though she be- 
lieve herself with His assistance to stand 
securely, still she will always fear lest she 
should fall (I. Cor. x. 12), and conse- 
quently she works out her salvation with 
fear and trembling, and only reassures 
herself by following the advice of the 
Apostle St. Peter: " Labor the more, 
that by good works you may make sure 
your calling and election,. for doing these 
things, you shall not sin at any time. For 
so an entrance shall be ministered to you 
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom 
of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" 
(II. St. Peter i. 10-12). 

2. Humility is ever accompanied by 
modesty. A teacher who possesses this 
virtue considers herself honored in being 
permitted to labor for the salvation of 
souls, following the. example of our di- 
vine Saviour and His apostles, and in the 
same works in which so many saints have 
been glorified, who have enlightened the 
world by their knowledge as they have 
edified it by their virtues. 

If she possesses talents, she takes no 
complacency in them; she evinces no 
self-sufficiency, pride, or haughtiness; she 
avoids all affectation or display of bril- 



Humility. 1 7 

liancy which might set her off before the 
eyes of the world or cause people to ad- 
mire her; she does not pride herself up- 
on her intellectual qualities nor the 
sciences that she may have acquired ; 
consequently she never despises others or 
their efforts; she does not seek to be 
praised for what she does, nor to be 
applauded for her success, for she does 
not attribute to herself the glory that is 
due to God alone, Who bestows His gifts 
as He sees fit; therefore she refers all her 
success to Him (I. Tim. i. 17). If she 
fails in producing in her scholars all the 
fruits that she desires, and even should 
none appear, she attributes the fault to 
herself and endeavors to repair it, but 
remains peaceful and submissive to the 
Divine Will, knowing that it is not the 
one who plants and waters, but God 
alone, Who gives the increase. 

3. Humility excludes every vainglori- 
ous motive Nothing is more foolish 
than to desire the esteem of men, which, 
according to Peter of Blois, 1 is but a 
parching wind that dries up the streams 
of grace. This vain desire is incompati- 
ble with the maxims of the Gospel. Jesus 

1 De Imit. Esprit. 



1 8 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Christ wished that His disciples (St. 
Matt, xxiii. 10) should not desire the ti- 
tle of Master, nor to be saluted as Doc- 
tors, because it profited them not to be 
known of men, but that they should re- 
joice only in having their names written 
in heaven (St. Luke x. 20). 

4. Humility is not ambitious. As a 
soul that is truly humble believes her- 
self fit solely for lowly employments, she 
never seeks those that are exalted; nei- 
ther does she aspire to one class rather 
than another, for she feels convinced 
that the one to which she has been ap- 
pointed is according to the designs of 
Divine Providence, and consequently the 
most suitable for her, and that it will fur- 
nish her with ampler means of glorifying 
God, and draw down upon her the grace 
to employ those means to their fullest 
extent. 

5. Humility is not jealous; a teacher 
who is humble, far from being pained at 
the success of others, will, on the con- 
trary, feel pleased to see them equal and 
even excel her. She does not assume to 
possess more merit than others, and evin- 
ces no coldness of manner towards those 
who may be preferred to her; neither does 



Humility. 1 9 

she cherish any animosity towards those 
who esteem her less than the other teach- 
ers. 

6. Humility causes her to distrust her 
own lights. If all teachers possessed this 
virtue, what unity there would be in the 
method of teaching! The humble teach- 
er does not abound in her own judgment; 
she conforms in all things to the opinions 
of the other teachers, and acts in unison 
with them; she makes use of no singular 
methods, as she is convinced that they 
would be productive of much harm to 
the scholars and annoyance to the teach- 
er who might succeed her. 

Being diffident of her own capabilities, 
she seeks to reassure herself by those of 
others; therefore she consults them and 
takes in good part their advice, admoni- 
tions, or corrections — in fact, all that might 
assist her in fulfilling her duties properly. 

7. Humility causes a teacher to prefer 
the young and ignorant. She zealously 
applies herself to the instruction of the 
little ones in the elements of their relig- 
ion; but if she is devoid of this virtue she 
will readily abandon those branches of 
education which are less showy, even 
though they be more useful. 



20 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

8. The humility of the teacher should 
at the same time be courageous. She 
will not then be discouraged when she 
meets with what is low or revolting 
amongst her scholars; she will treat the 
children without exception with sweet- 
ness and gentleness, and bear, without 
showing any repugnance and with unal- 
terable patience, their natural defects, 
such as inaptitude and coarseness of 
manner, their indocility, ingratitude, op- 
position, and even their incivility, without 
manifesting any resentment or desire of 
revenge, even though these should be 
directed against herself personally; she 
does not forget, however, that she is in 
duty bound to correct or prevent all that 
may lessen her authority or give occasion 
for any fractiousness or insubordination 
on the part of her scholars. 

9. Humility causes a teacher to treat 
inferiors as well as her equals with re- 
spect, kindness, affection, and cor- 
diality. 

10. Humility assists -the teacher to bear 
with equanimity all the confusion that 
her unskilfulness, mistakes, or want of 
success may draw upon her. The schol- 
ars, edified by her example, will probably 



Humility. 2 1 

imitate it when placed in similar circum- 
stances. 

11. Humility is charitable. It renders 
the teacher amiable and obliging, ever 
ready to serve others, and easy of access to 
the poor and to those for whom she might 
naturally feel any repugnance. She never 
exhibits towards her scholars contempt- 
uous, disdainful, or insulting manners. 

12. Finally, besides the defects we 
have mentioned, humility condemns in- 
difference towards others; a consequen- 
tial, studied, or over-nice manner towards 
her equals or scholars; an egotism which 
causes her to be centered in herself; an 
excessive diffidence, — which is in real- 
ity but a false humility and much to be 
condemned, — when, fearing want of suc- 
cess, she refuses to employ herself as the 
glory of God and obedience require; an 
independent spirit, which causes her al- 
ways to follow tenaciously her own ideas 
and inclinations and prevents her sub- 
jecting herself to any one in the exercise of 
her duties, or makes her feel a difficulty in 
tendering even to a superior or directress 
those courtesies which are due them, such 
as offering her own seat during the class 
exercises and consulting their desires in 



22 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

regard to these, being attentive to answer 
any question they may desire to ask, 
showing them the copy or manuscript 
books of the scholars, and heeding their 
criticisms. as well as advice in regard to 
these. 

" Humiliation followeth the proud: and 
glory shall uphold the humble of spirit " 
(Prov. xxix. 23). 

" Let each esteem others better than 
themselves" (Philipp. ii. 3). 



IV. PRUDENCE. 

vT^RUDEnce teaches us what we should 
yfc| avoid and points out the means 
"^e^ to a laudable end. It determines 
the use we should make of our intelli- 
gence, and the application of our mind, 
and saves us the necessity of regretting 
every undertaking of life. Moreover, 
the means that it employs are always 
suitable, because they are dictated by 
reason and faith, and they are sure 
because they are neither excessive nor 
deficient. 

As the duty of the teacher is the edu- 
cation of the children confided to her, 
prudence will suggest the proper means 
to employ in the forming of their disposi- 
tions and the development of their char- 
acters; hence it is a most valuable virtue 
and one of the most excellent of arts, 
according to St. Chrysostom; 1 " for," he 



i Quid majus quam animis moderari, quam adolescentulo- 

rum fingere mores? Omni certe pictore, omni certe statuario, 

caeterisquehujusmodi omnibus, excellentiorem hunc ducto qui 

juvenum animos fingere non ignoret. — Horn. 60. Matt, xviii. 

23 



24 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

adds, " a good teacher is infinitely supe- 
rior to an able painter, sculptor, or any of 
the artists; " from which we may con- 
clude that to her these words of the Holy 
Spirit can be applied: " Blessed is the 
man that findeth wisdom and is rich in 
prudence" (Prov. iii. 13). 

As the functions of this virtue are to 
deliberate well, judge well, and regulate 
well, the teacher should endeavor to the 
best of her ability to fulfil them perfect- 
ly. She cannot assure herself of any 
degree of success in the education of 
children unless she has first sought and 
examined the means of doing so. 

It is very possible that she may be de- 
ceived in her judgment, but such is not 
the case when it is regulated by pru- 
dence; for, either the matter upon which 
she pronounces judgment is evident or 
doubtful. In the first case she cannot be 
deceived, and in the second she reflects 
attentively upon it, and says only that of 
which she is positive, giving as conjec- 
tural that of which she is not certain. 

To acquit herself properly of the ob- 
ligations of the virtue of prudence she 
should make judicious use of the powers 
she possesses, which are eight in num- 



Prudence. 2 5 

ber; namely: memory, understanding, 
docility, address, reason, foresight, cir- 
cumspection, and precaution. 

Memory. — It is a characteristic of pru- 
dence to apply to the future the ex- 
perience of the past; nothing is more 
reasonable than to suppose that things 
will happen in the future as they have al- 
ready happened, and a thoughtful teach- 
er will know how to profit by the faults 
and success of others as well as by her 
own, and will not fail to seek the counsel 
of experienced persons. 

Understanding. — Prudence requires 
that one know the end she is expected 
to accomplish and the means of which 
she should make use to attain that end. 
A teacher should, therefore, study and 
endeavor to understand well the charac- 
ters and dispositions of her scholars, that 
she may adapt her instructions to their 
capacities and necessities, and thus ren- 
der them beneficial. For example, there 
are some upon whom fear exerts a salu- 
tary restraint, and others, on the contrary, 
whom it would discourage. Some there 
are from whom nothing can be gained 
save by labor and effort, others, again, 
who apply themselves only by fits and 



26 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

starts. To treat all these different dis- 
positions in the same manner would be 
to force nature. 

The prudence of the teacher consists 
in adhering inviolably to the middle 
course, equally distant from the two ex- 
tremes; for at this point the evil and 
good lie so close that it is very easy to 
mistake one for the other and thus de- 
ceive one's self; and it is precisely in this 
that the great difficulty lies in the educa- 
tion of young girls. 

The teacher should carefully prepare 
the subject-matter of every lesson before 
attempting to teach it; and here we will 
speak of a matter of great importance, and 
one that naturally enters into a work treat- 
ing of the virtues of the teacher. As we 
have already said, prudence requires that 
the teacher should prepare herself with 
care before entering class, for it is very 
necessary that she should be able to recall 
with accuracy the principles which might 
otherwise easily escape her memory, and 
the forgetting of which might occasion 
much misunderstanding; it is also neces- 
sary that she should be prepared with the 
reasons upon which to base those princi- 
ples, and that she select them with dis- 



Prudence. 2 7 

cernment and discretion; not saying by 
hap-hazard all that offers itself in a cur- 
sory reading; she should have method 
and clearness in what she has to say to 
assist the understanding and prevent the 
confusion that want of order will infalli- 
bly produce in the minds of her listeners. 
And, finally, it is by preparation that she 
will be able to express herself with the 
dignity and propriety due to the office of 
teaching, and without which all that she 
says would only excite weariness, disgust, 
and even the contempt of those who hear 
her. All this evidently requires labor and 
preparation, and neglecting one or the 
other, expecting God to supply for her 
deficiency by an extraordinary assistance, 
w T ould resemble more the temerity of one 
who tempts God than the security of her 
who confides in His goodness and power. 
There are some teachers, certainly, so 
well versed in the various branches that 
they are ready at any moment to meet 
their classes without previous prepara- 
tion: these are they whom Jesus Christ 
compares to the father of a family who 
is at all times able to draw from the 
treasures that he has acquired by assidu- 
ous labor; but it must be acknowledged 



28 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

that this facility is solely the consequence 
of superior talents joined to long ex- 
perience in teaching, and not the portion 
of the many, and that for the generality 
of teachers to undertake to teach with- 
out previous preparation the different 
branches of education, and more especial- 
ly the important truths of religion, is 
nothing less than presumption and to a 
certain extent even contempt for the duty 
in which she is engaged. 

Docility. — Even those with all the 
experience which the ripest age can give 
should still be disposed to learn if they 
would not be wanting in the virtue of 
prudence; "for," says St. Thomas, " no 
one is sufficient to himself in that which 
regards prudence." A conscientious 
teacher, then, will distrust her own ex- 
perience, as we have already said, and 
will undertake nothing of importance 
without counsel. 

Address regards the manner of carry 
ing out the method one has previously 
arranged. Thus prudence demands that 
the teacher should make use of the 
means that seem the most suitable to in- 
sure the success of her undertakings. 
This virtue requires, then, that she give to 



Prudence. 29 

all her words and actions the same atten- 
tion she would were they to be seen and 
heard of men; and that she make the vir- 
tue of discretion her constant study, with- 
out which she cannot hope to succeed. 
She should be reserved to such an extent 
that the scholars cannot know what she 
thinks or premeditates in regard to them. 

Reason. — Correct reasoning guards us 
against those errors into which we are 
liable to fall; and a prudent teacher 
should excel in this virtue. By its as- 
sistance she bases upon incontrovertible 
principles the sciences that she teaches 
and from which she deducts those con- 
clusions that carry conviction with them. 

Foresight produces a suitable disposi- 
tion of the means to conduce to the de- 
sired end, or that action of the mind by 
which one forms an idea of what may 
happen according to the natural order of 
things. Under the first definition pru- 
dence requires that a teacher shall em- 
ploy sufficient time in deliberation, if she 
would not run the risk of failing in her 
undertakings; and also that she should 
avoid employing too much time in doing 
so. Prudence also modifies as well as 
regulates all the other virtues, and causes 



30 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

her to examine the manner and degree in 
which all the other virtues should be 
practised. Under the second definition, 
prudence causes the teacher to foresee 
the respective advantages and disadvan- 
tages of the means she desires to em- 
ploy, and the necessity of rejecting or 
making use of them. 

Circumspection is the attention that we 
give the facts and circumstances of a 
design before putting it into execution; 
consequently a prudent teacher will not 
undertake anything without first mature- 
ly considering it, as well as the most suit- 
able means of accomplishing it, always 
having due regard for its attendant cir- 
cumstances of time, place, character, and 
person. 

Precaution, finally, foresees the incon- 
veniences in regard to that which one 
desires to effect, and it is by its assistance 
that a prudent teacher refrains from any 
act contrary to this virtue in her inter- 
course with her scholars, such as punish- 
ing them without witnesses, or by remain- 
ing alone with any one of them, and avoids 
saying or doing anything before them 
that may give them the opportunity of 
criticising her or of taking scandal. Mak- 



Prudence. 3 1 

ing use of this precaution, she publicly 
reprimands faults committed in public, 
and judiciously avoids making known 
faults that may not be known to all, on 
account of the scandal that might follow. 
It is this virtue that regulates her whole 
deportment and prevents any opportunity 
for the scholars to think that she cor- 
rects them for defects that are to be 
found in herself. After this elucidation 
it is easy to understand how a teacher 
with good judgment and ordinary knowl- 
edge, increased by that which educa- 
tion gives, may act prudently in all cases. 
She fails in the virtue of prudence in 
two ways: first by precipitation, thought- 
lessness, temerity, negligence, fickleness, 
self-conceit, and blind confidence in hu- 
man resources. . She fails secondly by 
a false prudence, called in Scripture 
the prudence of the flesh, which judges 
according to the senses and with the 
sole thought of satisfying an ill-reg- 
ulated love and a too exalted opinion 
of self, the consequence of which is that 
she is disquieted about the temporal mat- 
ters of the present or of the future, and 
the means which she employs to succeed 
are cunning and deception. 



32 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

" Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and 
simple as doves " (St. Matt. x. 16) 

" Purchase prudence; for it is more pre- 
cious than silver " (Prov. xvi. 16). 



V.-WISDOM. 

^if\^T ISDOM 1S a vlT tue that teaches the 
V^/^ most sublime things, by the most 
«^c) excellent methods, to the end that 
we may conform our conduct thereto. 
It differs from prudence inasmuch as the 
latter regards the means taken to accom- 
plish a laudable end, while the former 
directly regards the end itself, and not 
alone as a good and praiseworthy one, but 
as a very great and important one. 

It is possible that one of these virtues 
may be practised without the other; we 
will give an example of such a case. A 
priest decides to administer the last rites 
of the Church to a sick person whose mal- 
ady is reported to be dangerous. Cer- 
tainly, it is wisdom to give the sacraments 
to one in danger of death, but prudence 
requires that he first endeavor to ascer- 
tain if the illness is of as serious a nature 
as has been represented; failing in this, he 
would not act with prudence. 

We will give another example, drawn 
from the matter of which we treat: A 

33 



34 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

teacher gives the scholars an instruction 
upon the catechism; this is certainly an 
act of wisdom, but if she makes use of 
too sublime language for their limited un- 
derstanding, or, on the contrary, uses too 
commonplace or trite expressions, un- 
suited to the sublimity of the truths which 
she endeavors to set before them, it is very 
evident that she fails in the virtue of 
prudence. Thus we see there is an es- 
sential difference between these virtues. 

But in what does the wisdom of a good 
teacher consist ? It consists in knowing, 
loving, and fulfilling the great and infi- 
nitely precious mission with which she is 
charged. And therefore she should, ac- 
cording to the example of Solomon, always 
begin by addressing herself in all humility 
to the Author of all good, the God of all 
knowledge, the Father of all light. u Give 
me." cried that king, " wisdom that sitteth 
by Thy throne, and cast me not off from 
among Thy children. . . . Send her out of 
Thy holy heaven, and from the throne of 
Thy majesty, that she may be with me, 
and may labor with me, that I may know 
what is acceptable with Thee. For she 
knoweth and understandeth all things, 
and shall lead me soberly in my works, 



Wisdom. 3 5 

and shall preserve me by her power. So 
shall my works be acceptable." — Wis. ix. 
4, 10-12. 

However, it is not sufficient that the 
teacher should rest in prayer alone: she 
would act very imprudently if, before in- 
structing those under her care, she should 
not seek to be informed herself upon that 
which she is to impart to them; conse- 
quently she should apply herself to study, 
as we have already said, w T hen speaking of 
the virtue of prudence. Wisdom will 
point out the necessity of doing so, and 
will cause her to penetrate the depths of 
the sciences that she is to teach as well as 
the principles upon which they are based; 
otherwise her instructions will contain 
naught but words, or ideas without foun- 
dation or connection, which will be easily 
effaced from the memory. 

She should take great care during her 
instructions to say nothing that could be 
in the least offensive to her scholars, or 
that might discourage them or excite a 
dislike for the teacher or the class. She 
should be extremely cautious never to 
mislead them by erroneous opinions or 
prejudices, but conduct them according to 
divine as well as human laws and maxims. 



36 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

To instruct the children with more 
fruit, wisdom requires that the teacher 
should practise the virtues that she desires 
to form in them. " If you show yourself 
thoroughly convinced of that which you 
teach," says St. Bonaventure, 1 "you will 
give to your voice the voice of power; re- 
member that the voice of your actions is 
louder than that of your words: act ac- 
cording to your words." Therefore she 
should teach the children to conform their 
actions to sound rules, to moderate and 
correct their passions, to become solidly 
good; she will consequently study to give 
the example of all that she requires of 
them, and she will endeavor, for her own 
good as well as theirs, to distinguish be- 
tween that which is really good and that 
which is only so in appearance, and to 
persevere in that enlightened course; to 
dispose all with order and regularity, and, 
in a word, to fulfil perfectly her duty to 
God, herself, and others. Thus she will 
acquire that sublime wisdom which is the 
science of sciences, that science without 
which all others are in comparison as 
nothing, and which causes the soul to 
taste beforehand the joys of heaven, 

1 Ser. 59, on the Canticle of Canticles. 



Wisdom. 37 

which she sets forth in all their sweetness; 
that which teaches to practise the pre- 
cepts of religion, for example, to find 
riches in poverty, joy in suffering, true 
dignity in the eyes of God in those em- 
ployments so vile and despicable in the 
eyes of men; to make good use of the 
blessings as well as the afflictions of life; 
to take no resolutions but those which 
are wise and just; to tend to one's end 
by legitimate means; to unite in the 
government of children a just firmness 
with a commendable gentleness, example 
with precept; to seek the spiritual ad- 
vantages which are for eternity, rather 
than those that are merely of time, 
thoroughly convinced that it profits noth- 
ing to gain the entire world at the risk of 
losing one's immortal soul; that the earth 
and its goods pass with time; and that 
those alone who fulfil the will of God 
shall, live eternally. Such is the true 
wisdom that St. James exhorts us to ask 
of God (St. James i. 5.), and which will 
be principally the~ornament and glory of 
a good teacher. 

The faults contrary to this admirable 
wisdom are, to prefer a purely human 
satisfaction to supernatural virtue, and 



38 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

to the perfect accomplishment of the 
will of God; as, for instance, to be over- 
anxious to acquire accomplishments and 
worldly knowledge, rather than that of 
religion, to apply herself more willingly 
to teach that which flatters self-love than 
to form the image of Jesus Christ in the 
hearts of the children, and to seek rather 
to gain their friendship than to correct 
their faults. 

There is a wisdom which comes not 
from on high, but which is, on the con- 
trary, a worldly wisdom, earthly and dia- 
bolical, according to the w r ords of St. 
James (iii. 15). This is a wisdom blind- 
ed by the passions, and which follows 
only the suggestions of the evil spirit; it 
adopts the maxims of the world, and 
rejects those of the Gospel; it labors to 
acquire virtues w T hich will be pleasing to 
it rather than to God; it acts from in- 
terested motives, seeking only its own 
benefit, although, to deceive others more 
surely, it studies to appear affable, polite, 
and yielding, while it scruples not in 
reality to employ fraud, artifice, and in- 
trigue to gain its end, a folly of which 
the unhappy fruit is the spirit of opposi- 
tion, contention, and jealousy. 



Wisdom. 39 

" Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth 
away, and is easily seen by them that 
love her, and is found by them that seek 
her " (Wis. vi. 13). 

" For she is an infinite treasure to 
men: when they that use, become the 
friends of God, being commended for 
the gifts of discipline" (Ibid. vii. 14). 

" For wisdom opened the mouth of 
the dumb, and made the tongues of in- 
fants eloquent "(Ibid. x. 21). 



VI.— PATIENCE. 

^atience is a virtue that causes 
us to endure without murmuring 
and with submission to the will 
of God the evils of this life, and inf 
particular the difficulties which are to 
be met in the education of youth. It 
does not, it is true, free us from all the 
suffering attendant upon it, but, says St. 
Francis de Sales, it moderates the pain, 
causing us to remember that our divine 
Lord has saved us by His patient en- 
durance, and that we also should work 
out our salvation through our sufferings 
and afflictions, by the endurance of in- 
juries, contradictions, and pain, with the 
utmost sweetness. 1 

Patience, besides being a most neces- 
sary virtue, is especially beneficial in the 
vicissitudes of life. 

It is necessary, because nature im- 
poses it upon us, and to murmur at events 
is to outrage Providence. It is useful, 
because it renders our afflictions easier 
to bear, and of shorter duration. 

1 Introduction to the Devout Life, book iii., chap. iii. 
40 



Patience. 41 

The fruit of Christian patience, ac- 
cording to the words of Our Lord Jesus 
Christ (St. Luke xxi. 19), is the posses- 
sion of our souls, and the more perfect 
that patience is, the more perfectly are 
we masters of ourselves, so St. Francis 
de Sales teaches. 

This virtue restrains our passions with- 
in just bounds and prevents us from 
being carried away under the most try- 
ing circumstances; it matures our designs 
and facilitates their execution, while pre- 
cipitation often renders useless the best- 
concerted plans. It mitigates suffering, 
calms the mind, banishes sadness, and 
stifles bitterness, ill-humor, excessive anx- 
iety, eagerness, hastiness, and discourage- 
ment. 

The practice of this virtue consists, 
then, as we have already said, in accept- 
ing without murmur all the afflictions that 
may befall us; and in regard to the wrongs 
that are done us we will quote again 
from the saint whom we have already 
cited: " Complain as little as possible; 
for it is certain that ordinarily he who 
complains sins, for self-love causes us 
to consider our wrongs much greater 
than they really are; but do not com- 



42 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

plain to persons who are easily moved to 
anger or given to bitter language. If it 
be expedient to complain to some one, 
thereby to remedy the offense or to ease 
your mind, let it be to tranquil souls, 
and those who love God; for, otherwise, 
instead of calming your feelings, they 
will render you more unquiet; in place of 
withdrawing the thorn that wounds you, 
they will be apt to drive it in the deeper." 
All that we have said of patience in 
general is suitable for the teacher. As 
she is most of the time with the children, 
this virtue consists, for her, in support- 
ing the repugnance she will undoubtedly 
experience in the discharge of her duty, 
and in not allowing herself to be dis- 
turbed by the bad manners of either the 
children or their parents, to condescend 
to the imperfections of children and 
their inexperience, without ever rebuffing 
them, and never to weary of repeating 
often and again the same things, and 
always with kindness and even affection, 
until they are impressed upon their mem- 
ories, however difficult it may be or even 
wearisome. By dint of repeated instruc- 
tions, warnings, remonstrances, and rep- 
rehensions she will attain,, sooner or later, 



Patience. 43 

the desired results. Unknown to her or 
even to themselves, the Christian and 
reasonable sentiments that she has never 
ceased to inculcate in their minds and 
hearts have already insinuated them- 
selves and taken root, and in the course of 
time she will reap the harvest for which 
she has so long and patiently waited. 
The teacher should, then, never forget 
the words of St. James (i. 4), " Patience 
hath a perfect work." 

The defects contrary to this virtue are, 
to rebuke the scholars harshly or in an 
offensive manner, to use them roughly, or 
slap them, or inflict upon them unjust 
punishments or those dictated by irrita- 
tion, or an impetuosity that does not 
take time to reflect before acting or 
speaking. 

" In patience you 4 shall possess your 
souls" (St. Luke xxi. 19). 

" Patience hath a perfect work " (St. 
James i. 4). 

"For patience is necessary for you; 
that, doing the will of God, you may 
receive the promise " (Heb. x. 36). 



VII -DISCRETION. 

^jtt >, iscretion is a virtue that causes 
"^fj^y us to think, speak, and act with 
Cs^^o moderation, circumspection, and 
modesty. Although moderation enters 
largely into the virtue of patience as well 
as into that of discretion, these virtues 
differ considerably, inasmuch as the latter 
prevents evil, while the former assists us 
to bear it. Discretion also differs from 
that part of prudence which we call pre- 
caution in that it foresees and conse- 
quently prevents evil, whether it be 
within or without, while precaution, by 
foreseeing that which is exterior, only 
guards against it. 

It differs from gravity also, this affect- 
ing the exterior only, while discretion re- 
gards even more particularly the inte- 
rior. Hence we see that discretion differs 
from both precaution and gravity as does 
the cause from the effect, or as the source 
differs from its streams; but although 
the virtues of the teacher may differ 
greatly in their nature, still they are 

44 



Discretion. 45 

united by such indissoluble bonds that 
one may not be wounded without wound- 
ing the others also. 

Discretion, then, consists in self-re- 
straint when one is in danger of being 
carried away by passion, and in taking 
care to avoid all that might give occasion 
for censure and suspicion. It regulates 
the whole conduct of the teacher, so that 
the scholars may not have it in their 
power to remark anything unbecoming 
or which they may not imitate. It re- 
quires that the teacher act at all times 
and in all places with such circumspec- 
tion as the innocence of the scholars, 
their imperfections, their susceptibility 
in receiving impressions, and their lia- 
bility to imitate that which is evil, may 
demand; for a word, a gesture, a smile, 
the veriest trifle in fact, may excite their 
imagination and become for them an 
abundant source from which to draw 
conclusions and which may influence their 
course of action for the future. 

She should avoid all particular friend- 
ships and all intimacies with the scholars, 
and should neither touch nor caress them, 
nor permit them those liberties with her. 
Finally, she should never be oblivious of 



46 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

the fact that the scholars expect their 
parents and teachers to be free from ev- 
ery defect and above all the weaknesses 
incident to human nature; consequently 
she should do nothing to counteract this 
impression, also bearing in mind that 
amongst her scholars there will always 
be some sufficiently malicious to put 
the worst constructions upon her words 
and actions, and who are always ready to 
seize upon and make the most of the 
least appearance of evil. 

As discretion in thought produces dis- 
cretion in words and actions, it is very 
important to reflect well to be able to 
judge correctly of things. 

The teacher fails in discretion when 
she does not endeavor to set good ex- 
ample and to conform her conduct to 
the rules of- propriety, avoiding all that 
may be disagreeable or disedifying in 
her manner, all that might in the slight- 
est degree betoken a want of refinement 
or good breeding, or lessen the consider- 
ation in which she should be held by her 
scholars, or her reputation, which she 
should most jealously guard in order to 
be useful in her avocation and to gain 
the esteem of her scholars; for they are 



Discretion, 47 

very apt to lose respect for their teacher 
and willingness to submit to her direc- 
tions from the moment in which they 
detect in her conduct anything that is 
not irreproachable. 

The effect of discretion is like that of 
gravity: her reserve inspires the scholars 
with respect and prevents them from 
taking too great liberties; for many vir- 
tues may be the means of producing the 
same effects through different principles. 

"With all watchfulness keep thy heart, 
because life issueth out from it" (Prov. 
iv/23). 

" Make straight the path for thy feet, 
and all thy way shall be established " 
(Ibid. iv. 26). 

" Make doors and bars to thy mouth; 
melt down thy gold and silver, and make 
a balance for thy words and a just bridle 
for thy mouth" (Ecclus. xxviii. 28, 29 ). 




VIII— MILDNESS. 

ildness is inspired by benevo- 
[ij^j^ lence, sensibility, and tenderness; 
it is a virtue of which Jesus 
Christ is the most perfect model, and one 
which He particularly recommends to us 
in the following words: "Learn of Me, 
because I am meek and humble of heart " 
(St. Matt. xi. 29). It is, according to the 
holy Bishop of Geneva, 1 like " the flower 
of charity, which," he adds after St Bern- 
ard, " is in its perfection when it is pa- 
tient and mild." 

We distinguish in general four Kinds" of 
mildness: the first is the mildness of the 
understanding, which consists in judging 
of things without passion, bitterness, or 
predisposition. The second is that of 
the heart, which causes us' to desire things 
in a disinterested manner and without 
pertinacity. The third is that of manner, 
which leads us to conduct ourselves by 
correct principles, without desiring to re- 
form those over whom we have no ju- 

1 Introduction to the Devout Life % part iii., chap. viii. 

48 



Mildness. 49 

risdiction, or to interfere in that which 
does not come under our duty. The 
fourth, finally, is that of mildness of con- 
duct, which influences us to act with sim- 
plicity and uprightness, not opposing 
others without good reasons and strict 
obligation, and then with moderation. 

The virtue of meekness, to be genuine, 
should be sincere; " for," says St. Francis 
de Sales, "it is an artifice of the enemy 
to delude many to amuse themselves by 
practising exterior acts of mildness and 
humility, and not examining sufficiently 
their interior dispositions; they believe 
themselves to be mild and humble, al- 
though in reality they are only so in ap- 
pearance; but this soon makes itself 
manifest, because, notwithstanding this 
appearance of humility, at the least word 
that is said to them of an unpleasant na- 
ture, or at the slightest affront they receive, 
they bristle up with wounded pride." 

All that we have said proves how sin- 
gularly admirable is the virtue of mild- 
ness, inasmuch as, joined to the virtue of 
humility and united to that of patience, 
it is the perfection of charity, from which 
it follows that in the first conjuncture it 
moderates anger, stifles the desire of re- 



50 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

venge, and supports with tranquillity of 
soul all contradictions and vexations; 
and in the second, which is its most pecu- 
liar characteristic, it conciliates the schol- 
ars. It is a general principle that love 
begets love, and the teacher should there- 
fore cherish for her scholars the sentiments 
of the mother who has confided them to 
her care, and evince towards them the love 
and tenderness natural to parents. These 
qualities rob her government of all that 
seems hard or severe and render it mild 
and pleasing, and also attach her schol- 
ars to her, for they will always yield much 
more readily to mildness than to force. 

But we will explain more particularly 
how a teacher can render herself beloved 
by her scholars by means of mildness. 

i. She should begin by avoiding herself 
the defects that she is obliged to correct 
in them; for example, all rudeness or 
coarseness of manner. 

2. Her order and regularity should not 
be calculated to inspire discouragement 
or disgust. 

3. She should be straightforward and 
patient, exact in her manner of teaching, 
and attach less importance to the applica- 
tion of her scholars than she does to her 



Mildness, 5 1 

own assiduity and the observance of the 
regulations of the class. 

4. She should show an equal consider- 
ation to all without exception, having no 
favorites and showing no particular atten- 
tion to any one unless there should be 
strict necessity for so doing. 

5. Her watchfulness not to pass over 
faults which require correction should be 
vigilant, yet mild; her corrections should 
be neither sharp nor offensive, and im- 
mediately after correcting she should en- 
deavor to dispel any bitterness they may 
have occasioned and induce the scholars 
to acknowledge their fault and the justice 
of the punishment, and she should warn 
them never to err again in like manner. 

6. Her conduct should be uniform: this 
is a very essential point; if each day finds 
the teacher in a different humor, the 
scholars will never know certainly what 
they are to expect, and will feel a con- 
tempt for her continual change of moods, 
which finally become so insupportable as 
to cause them to wish to leave the class 
entirely, or at least create in them an 
aversion for it. 

7. She should allow them to express 
the difficulties they may experience, 



5 2 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

and listen to them willingly and kindly. 

8. She should judiciously bestow praise 
upon merit, for though it is to be feared 
that vanity may possibly be inspired there- 
by, still, she should praise sufficiently to 
encourage. Of all the incentives which 
may be used to inspire the rational being 
with proper sentiments there are none 
of greater efficacy than those of honor 
and shame; and once she knows how to 
render children sensible to these feelings, 
all is gained. They take great pleasure 
in being honored and praised, especially 
by their parents.or those who take their 
place. 

9. She should speak often to them of 
virtue, and always in the most exalted 
manner, as being the most precious of all 
things, and she should endeavor to inspire 
them with a love for it, and to form their 
morals according to its precepts. 

10 She should each day relate to them 
some edifying example which will con- 
duce to their profit, and lead them to a 
virtuous and Christian life. 

1 1. She should inculcate in them polite- 
ness of manner and that good behavior 
which will cause them to be esteemed in 
the world and live in it honorably; and to 



Mildness. 53 

this end she will endeavor to render them 
courteous, gentle, straightforward, pleas- 
ing, and obliging to their teachers, com- 
panions, and all with whom they may be 
thrown. 

It is of the greatest importance to cor- 
rect in young girls certain dispositions 
contrary to the usages of society: such 
as carelessness; not considering the pleas- 
ure or comfort of those around them; a 
selfishness that leads them to think only 
of their own pleasure and convenience; a 
certain vanity and arrogance which causes 
them to consider all as their due, and that 
they in return owe nothing to others; a 
spirit of contradiction, of criticism, of rail- 
lery, which attacks all and everything 
and seeks pleasure in giving pain. Such 
defects should be constantly combated. 
Young girls who have been accustomed 
to act courteously towards their compan- 
ions, to do them favors, to yield to them 
upon every occasion, never to say any- 
thing unkind of them and not to be over- 
sensitive in their intercourse with others: 
such young girls will have learned, by the 
time they are ready to enter society, the 
rules of politeness. 

1 2. The teacher should form the hearts, 



54 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

the minds, and the judgment of her schol- 
ars by the following means: To form 
their hearts she should inspire them with 
an aversion for all the occasions of sin, 
by opposing any evil inclinations they 
may manifest and by instilling into them 
the love of all the Christian virtues, point- 
ing out to them their necessity and the 
occasions on which they should practise 
them; by instilling into them good habits, 
which she does by picturing the difference 
between a sincere and candid child, in- 
capable of untruth or deceit, and another 
of whom she is obliged to be distrustful, 
and even suspicious, on whose words she 
places no confidence, even should they 
happen to be true. 

To form their minds the teacher should 
zealously and tenderly instruct them in the 
truths as well as the duties of religion, and 
also in all that may render them capable 
of correct reasoning, and thus make them 
useful members of society; this requires 
that she should, when with them, always 
think and speak reasonably and correctly, 
and that she should habituate them to 
act in the same manner upon all occa- 
sions that may present themselves; at the 
same time she should caution them, point 



Mildness. 55 

out their failings, and correct them when 
they are guilty of erroneous judgment or 
incorrect speaking, or put a wrong con- 
struction upon things, thus accustoming 
them to behave themselves with such 
discretion that they will always have a 
laudable end in view in all their actions, 
and be always ready to give good reasons 
for all they do and say. 

To form their judgment she should 
oblige them to observe the distinguishing 
characteristics of things and their con- 
nection with each other, and to pay atten- 
tion while she points out what is faulty 
in their criticisms. 

However, in laboring to form the hearts, 
the understanding, and the judgment of 
her scholars the teacher can never promise 
herself any success if she does not care- 
fully guard against all that might savor 
of harshness. 

A teacher fails in this virtue by harsh- 
ness when she requires of her scholars 
that which is beyond their capabilities; for 
example, by exacting longer lessons than 
their memory can retain, or by imposing 
penances which bear no proportion to 
their faults, forgetting that she renders 
herself guilty of injustice when she com- 



56 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

pels them to submit to unmerited punish- 
ment. 

She fails also when she exacts anything 
of them with so much authority or haugh- 
tiness as to irritate them, or at times 
when they are in a state of irritation, 
not considering that they are not fit to 
profit by her zealous efforts, for in such 
cases they either will not listen to her 
words or do so full of passion or ill-will. 

She also fails when she evinces as much 
solicitude for things of little moment as 
for those of importance; when she refus- 
es to listen to any excuse the scholars 
may offer, thus depriving them of all 
redress; when she refuses to pardon 
their faults, although not malicious or 
productive of evil consequences, such as 
those which proceed from ignorance, inad- 
vertence, forgetfulness, levity, and others 
which are natural to their age; when she 
appears habitually discontented with the 
conduct of the scholars, appearing with a 
morose or frigid air, saying only mortify- 
ing or threatening words; when she mani- 
fests her repugnance for them, or habitual- 
ly views their actions in an unfavorable 
light; when she exaggerates their faults, 
or acts towards them as if they were un- 



Mildness. 5 7 

reasonable or insensible beings, by twitch- 
ing, slapping, or shaking them — an exhi- 
bition of temper of which a Religious 
teacher above all others should be inca- 
pable; when she punishes them unreasona- 
bly or as severely for doubtful faults as 
for those which are positive; when she 
shows an unrelenting disposition and re- 
fuses to overlook minor failings, such as 
a badly written page, being late for class 
once, or for having failed in attention, 
or when their faults have neither been 
contrary to religion nor morality, such as 
would be the greater ones of disobedience, 
untruthfulness, irreverence, quarrelling, 
theft, or words or actions contrary to 
holy purity. Such a course of conduct 
would infallibly destroy in the children 
all love of study and all good aspirations, 
as well as cause them to rebel against 
the injustice. 

The teacher should know: 1st, That 
punishments are beneficial only accord- 
ing to the manner in which they are 
given; 2d, That in causing her scholars to 
fear her through excessive harshness or 
rigidity she stupefies their intellect, hard- 
ens their heart, deadens their sentiments 
of uprightness, and inspires them with 



58 The Virtues of a Good leather. 

a horror of the class and for learning; 
3d, That such excessive rigidity as pre- 
vents her from ever relenting also pre- 
vents her corrections from being benefi- 
cial; 4th, That by a judicious moderation 
she can gain those whom an excessive 
severity would only irritate; 5th, That 
their fear of her will never be advanta- 
geous if she does not inspire them also 
with the fear of God and His judgments; 
if she fails in this, all her endeavors to 
inspire them with a salutary fear of her 
will be fruitless. 

But she should always bear in mind that 
mildness should be firm as well as chari- 
table. Charity may for a time entice the 
children to a sense of their duty, but it 
does not suffice when they are forgetful 
of it; therefore firmness is necessary to 
retain their attention or recall it when it 
wanders. " My son," says the Wise Man, 
" do thy works in meekness, and thou 
shalt be beloved above the glory of men " 
(Ecclus. iii. 3, 19). Upon which a com- 
mentator ! remarks: "The Wise Man 
desires us to be mild and at the same 
time perform our duty perfectly." 

Firmness, according to the words of 

3 Sacy. 



Mildness. 59 

the Scriptures which we have just quot- 
ed, consists in a faithful observance of 
all that conduces to the proposed end; 
thus it requires that the teacher should 
be courageous and constant. 

Courage is necessary to resist all that 
may be contrary to good order, and to 
rise above all difficulties; it is especially 
necessary when the teacher enters the 
class for the first time, for the first 
thought of the scholars upon this occa- 
sion is to sound her depths that they 
may discover in her some weak point by 
which they may profit; but when they see 
her calmly resist their efforts, they desist 
and quietly submit to her authority. 

Constancy is also very necessary to 
persevere in her good resolutions and 
efforts and overcome all obstacles, not- 
withstanding the little hope of success 
there may be. 

The point in question, then, is to bring 
a firm mildness into the government of 
children, and for that purpose it is essen- 
tial that she should consider attentively 
the particular circumstances in which 
she is placed, so as to judiciously blend 
mildness with firmness; for the former 
will never prevent her from punishing 



60 The Virtues of a Good Teacher . 

faults which should be corrected, but it 
does not permit her to make use of an 
inflexible firmness except in cases where 
mildness, expostulation, wise ingenuity, 
repeated warnings, tasks, and other ordi- 
nary punishments have been employed 
and have failed to conquer such faults 
as a refractory humor, an obstinate dis- 
obedience, contemptuous manners, in- 
dolence, habitual negligence, want of 
order, duplicity or dissimulation, flat- 
tery, tale-bearing, back-biting, ridicule, 
etc.; but she should always remember 
that an inexorable rigor, excepting when 
it is absolutely necessary, repulses not 
alone the scholars but their parents and 
friends. 

Mildness does not permit the teacher 
in punishing to use her authority alone; 
with that she may restrain the culpable, 
but it will not correct them. If by im- 
perious airs she succeeds in inspiring 
them with a forced respect they will obey 
as long as her eye is upon them, but 
when her back is turned they will quick- 
ly dispense themselves from all restraint. 

It is to this happy blending of mild- 
ness and firmness that the teacher owes 
that authority which is the soul of gov- 



Mildness. 6 1 

ernment, 1 and inspires the scholars with 
that respect which is the surest guarantee 
of obedience and submission; but should 
either dominate, it certainly should be 
mildness. 

1 This authority is a certain ascendancy that inspires re- 
spect and submission. It is neither age, size, tone of voice, 
nor menaces, that give authority, but a firm, moderate, uni- 
form character, and one that is always master of itself, one 
that is guided solely by reason, and which never acts through 
caprice or passion. That which increases it, is the wise mix- 
ture of mildness and firmness, of love and fear. Love should 
gain the hearts of the children without weakening them, and 
fear should retain it in them with lit repulsing them. 

We will mention the principal means of establishing and 
of preserving authority. Many of these ways we shall find 
scattered through the course of this work, but we think it 
well to enumerate them here collectively. 

They are: i. Never to make use of the power of teacher 
except at proper times, or without reason and reflection, nor 
in things which are not worthy of it. 

2. To have everything carried into effect that has been 
commanded, of course justly. 

3. To be firm and never to grant that which has been once 
denied according to the dictates of reason, so long as the con- 
ditions remain unchanged. 

4. Never to threaten lightly, but always to carry into ef- 
fect that which has once been threatened, provided the chil- 
dren yet deserve it, and never to be unjust in regard to them. 

5. To inspire the scholars with a respectful fear, and con- 
sta tly t"» maintain it. 

6. To always carry on a well-regulated method of govern- 
ing them. 

7. To be so invariable in her conduct that the scholars may 
be fully convinced that in their teacher they will ever find 
one who will do her duty, and respect good order. 

8. To be the same to all, and never to show any favoritism 
towards any one: for that one who should enjoy such a priv- 
ilege would become audacious and insolent, and those who 
are deprived of it, jealous, indocile, and mutinous; this, how- 
ever, does not hinder her from testifying her satisfaction, and 
according praises and rewards to those whose conduct de- 
serves it, and on the contrary evincing displeasure towards 
those whose conduct is not satisfactory. 



62 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

As it is very necessary to avoid all 
defects opposed to firmness, she should 
first shun weakness of discipline. The 
teacher fails by weakness when either 
she does not punish faults deserving of 
punishment, or when she allows the schol- 
ars to act as they will with impunity. 

Secondly, she should avoid an indolent 
complacency. She errs in this manner 
when she fails to make use of all the 
means in her power to succeed in her 

\ 9. Never to show any familiarity towards the scholars. 

10. To act always in such a manner that they may never 
be able to find her in the wrong in their regard. 

11. Never to look upon her scholars as slaves, but always 
to comport herself with such dignity and reserve towards 
them as to prevent them from ever placing themselves on a 
level- with their teacher. 

12. Never to attach to anything that may be said to her 
too great a degree of importance. Thus it would be absurd 
to attach too much importance to those things to which there 
should be but little or none at all, and on the contrary, it 
would b* failing in justice to attach too little or none at all 
to essential matters, whether they pertain to tne general good 
order of the class or the individual good of the scholars. 

13. To say in a few words all that she enjoins upon her ciass. 

14. Never to abuse her authority by requiring too much or 
exacting too rigorously that which she has a right to expect 
of them, as, for instance, in the case wherein a scholar either 
cannot or will not learn that which has been given her to 
study, and she should double or triple the task; or when a 
child refuses to take a punishment, to increase it, thus caus- 
ing the scholar to despair or to become indifferent, or per- 
haps to rebel. 

15. To p oportion all tasks and duties to the capabilities and 
characters of the children. 

16. When she has any difficulty with hard or self-willed 
ch racters, never to yield to them, and never to relax in the 
least from the just firmness which is necessary to restrain them. 



Mildness. 63 

duty; when she is variable in her con- 
duct; when she relaxes from a just firm- 
ness; when she regards as trifling that 
which is in reality a considerable evil; 
or when, for certain reasons, she tolerates 
or permits that which should not be 
allowed; when, not wishing to inconven- 
ience herself, she does not pay necessary 
attention to discipline or the advance- 
ment of the class, when she allows the 
scholars to neglect or despise her orders; 
when she speaks at random or appears 
indifferent to her duty; and when she con- 
tents herself with admonishing without 
obliging the scholars to act upon her word. 
Thirdly, she should avoid too familiar 
an intercourse with the scholars. Fa- 
miliarity breeds contempt, indocility, and 
aversion to application; it renders the 
scholars wilful and rebellious, and paves 
the way for idleness and other vices, 
is fatal to progress, and permits all bad 
habits to take root. In such contin- 
gencies the teacher would sadly fail in 
firmness and resolution, and even aid 
their designs by her littleness of soul 
and timidity. She should be affable, 
without doubt, but her affability should 
never degenerate into familiaritv. 



64 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Fourthly, she should avoid the defects 
contrary to firmness, which are incon- 
stancy, a timid, bashful, or inexperienced 
manner, or one of embarrassment, pos- 
itiveness, pertinacity, suspicion, or un 
yielding inflexibility. 

We will now pass on to punishment. 
We have already seen that the teacher 
advances the good of the scholars by a 
charitable mildness and sustains it by a 
firm mildness; it remains now for us to 
prove that she prevents or corrects evil 
by a wise and prudent mildness. 

First, she should interdict the use of 
all chastisements by rod or whip. It is 
true that the Holy Scriptures admonish 
parents not to spare the rod when it is 
necessary to correct their children; but 
in boarding and day schools it would be 
more unwise than useful. The teacher 
who makes no use of such punishments 
usually succeeds by other means. 

When she has scholars of a coarse, 
indocile, obdurate character, insensible 
alike to praise or reprimands, she may be 
obliged to make use of some corporal 
punishment, but the wisest plan with such 
children is to restore them to their par- 
ents. 



Mildness. 65 

To avoid the necessity of punishments, 
however, the teacher should make use of 
the following means: 

1. She should early accustom the chil- 
dren to subordination by firmness and 
evenness of temper, and should reprove 
them when needful with such force and 
energy as will show them that she is 
their superior as well as teacher, other- 
wise, they may become proud and con- 
sider themselves on an equality with her. 

2. She should never act through pas- 
sion or caprice, for the latter vice is one 
of the gravest in the matter of religious 
education; it never escapes the sharp- 
sightedness of the scholars, and renders 
useless the advice and admonitions of 
the teacher. 

3. She should inspire the children 
rather with shame and remorse for their 
faults than with fear of punishment. 

4. She should distinguish between the 
faults that deserve punishment and those 
which should be pardoned, and not im- 
pose as severe punishment for involuntary 
faults as for those committed with delib- 
eration and malice. 1 

5. She may attach shame to many things 

1 This subject will be more fully developed further on. 



66 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

otherwise indifferent, as, for instance, to 
oblige the delinquent to kneel in a cer- 
tain place, — but care should be taken 
not to allow her to kneel long, as 
it might be productive of harm; or she 
could be assigned the foot of the class, or 
be seated in the centre of the room, with 
promise of severe punishment if she fail 
to do her tasks properly. The teach- 
er should always exhibit displeasure in 
her manners towards the* delinquent for 
as long a time as she is ill-disposed. 

6. She should impose only just punish- 
ments, and prefer those of a mild nature 
when they are productive of the desired 
results, avoiding those which may have 
any injurious effect upon what she strives 
to inculcate, such as striking the children 
at such times as they are not attentive, 
which would have the effect of disquieting 
them whenever they see her near them, 
and cause them to be more desirous of 
avoiding the blows they fear she may give 
them than to listen to her instructions. 

7. The fear with which she should en- 
deavor to inspire the children should be 
less the fear of punishment than of the 
evil to which their faults may give rise, 

8. She should prefer punishments of a 



Mildness. 67 

useful nature to those which are merely 
corporal; as, for example, to study some 
pages of the catechism or of some other 
lesson, or to write some page of their copy 
books, or rules in arithmetic, etc., to com- 
mit some verses to memory, and these to 
be performed after school hours. Such 
punishments have the advantage of oc- 
cupying the time usefully, and also of ac- 
customing the children to assiduous labor, 
as well as contributing to their advance- 
ment. 

9. She should not often repeat the 
same punishments, for the scholars would 
no longer fear them, but turn them into 
ridicule. 

10. She should choose the most fa- 
vorable time for inflicting punishments. 
Thus she should not always correct a 
child the moment that the fault is com- 
mitted, particularly if she is in bad humor, 
for fear of embittering her and perhaps 
causing her to commit other faults. She 
should allow her time to reflect and to 
feel that the punishment is really merited 
and even necessary. She should never 
punish in anger, particularly if the fault 
regards herself personally, such as want 
of respect, rudeness, or insolence; for, 



68 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

however slight the emotion may be, the 
children will not fail to perceive it, and 
think that it is more due to passion than to 
zeal for her duty, and this will be suffi- 
cient to render the punishment useless. 
Children, however young they may be, 
understand that reason alone should in- 
fluence their corrections. 

The second means to render punish- 
ments rare is to warn and even threaten 
in season. The teacher should first in- 
struct children well in regard to their 
obligations, and if their failure on this 
point should be through inability or want 
of capacity she should excuse them, be- 
cause she should never exact of them 
that which is impossible. If the fault 
proceeds from inadvertence unaccompan- 
ied by malice, she should warn; if through 
malice, she should reprimand them with 
severity; if committed a second time, she 
should threaten; and if there is still no 
amendment, she should punish. Thus 
punishment should be the last means re- 
sorted to to cause submission. 

In warning, however, she should never 
allow the scholars to think she is preju- 
diced, lest, attributing her warnings to 
prejudice alone, they may not strive to 



Mildness, 69 

avoid the faults which have occasioned 
them. She should never give occasion 
for the scholars to attribute them to any 
motive save that of their good. 

Reprimands should not be too frequent, 
and there should be a marked difference 
between these and mere warnings, for the 
latter savor less of the authority of the 
teacher than of the kindness of a friend, 
and, given in a kindly and gentle tone, 
they can be often made use of; but repri- 
mands, being given in severe words, are 
always wounding to self-love, and con- 
sequently they should be reserved for 
serious defects. They should never be 
given in harsh, contemptuous, or ex- 
aggerated language, nor in anger, nor 
through dislike, but in a manner that will 
conduce to the shame and repentance of 
the delinquents, and cause them to cor- 
rect their faults in the manner pointed out 
to them. After reprimands the teacher 
should not too soon resume her wonted 
manner, lest the delinquents look upon 
them merely as ebullitions of temper, 
which will soon pass away. It would be 
well to delay their pardon until they 
shall have proved the sincerity of their 
repentance. 



70 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

As for menaces, bordering more upon 
punishment than do reprimands, they 
should be rare, and never employed ex- 
cept with the determination of putting 
them into execution if they do not serve 
as preventatives, otherwise the children 
would persevere in their faults through an 
assurance of immunity. 

Praise is an effective means of render- 
ing punishment rare, but it should always 
be justly accorded, and in such a manner 
as to give no room for vanity, nor oc- 
casion a contempt for others. Thus 
the teacher could give some special 
mark of approbation, or confer some re- 
ward, not of a frivolous nature, but some- 
thing useful or edifying. She could send 
testimonials of good conduct to their 
parents or guardians, or advance them 
in the class. There is no doubt but that 
this course of action will have a better 
effect upon the children than menaces 
or punishments. 

As this is a very important matter we 
will explain the conditions necessary to 
render corrections salutary not alone to 
those w T ho receive them but likewise to 
those who administer them. They are 
ten in number, seven of which pertain to 



Mildness: 71 

the teacher and three to those who re- 
ceive them. 

1. The seven Conditions Necessary that 
Correction may be Beneficial to those who 
Give it. 

1. Purity of ..intention. Without 
doubt, the teacher should have in view, in 
correction as in all her actions, the greater 
glory of God and the accomplishment of 
His holy will; but there is another mo- 
tive which should influence her, which is 
the amendment of the child whom she 
corrects; therefore no sentiment of aver- 
sion or resentment should ever mingle 
therein, nor should she permit herself to 
be influenced by humor or caprice. 

2. Charity. She should correct the 
child through love. A teacher should 
be a physician, and not an enemy. " It 
would seem," says St. Austin cited by a 
commentator, '• that the physician takes 
pleasure in causing his patient to suffer, 
but in reality it is because he desires the 
( welfare of the sick man, and he causes 

him this suffering to cure him. " A teach- 
er should act thus in regard to her schol- 
ars; her apparent severity is in reality a 
blessing, and the sufferings she causes 
them are salutary remedies. 



7 2 77ie Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

3. Justice. Punishment supposes a 
fault; therefore she should never punish 
a pupil save for a positive fault. Severe 
punishments should be given only for 
serious faults. It is better that punish- 
ments should fall short of just deserts 
than by any chance exceed them. Should 
the latter be the case, not alone would 
justice be violated but even reason; and 
it might cause trie scholars to think that 
the teacher inflicts them because she 
takes pleasure in punishing, or attribute 
it to some other equally unworthy mo- 
tive. 

4. Propriety. In punishments due 
regard should be had to the age, charac- 
ter, temperament, and disposition of the 
child, and also those of its parents should 
be taken into consideration. The punish- 
ments should also be proportioned to the 
offence. 

5 Moderation. That is to say, the 
punishments should neither be excessive 
in severity nor given impetuously. If 
too severe, they would only serve to em- 
bitter and discourage, and cause hatred 
and even rebellion. If precipitate, they 
would neither be just nor proper. 

6. Tranquillity. The teacher should 



Mildness. 73 

punish without vexation, impatience, im- 
petuosity, or disturbance, and with as few 
words as possible. 

7. Prudence. Punishments should be 
prudent, and the teacher should pay par- 
ticular attention to this point, for before 
punishing, prudence requires that she 
should satisfy herself as to the disposition 
of the delinquent as well as her own 
It would be in vain to punish a child 
while embittered, rebellious, or sullen; if 
she is capable of reasoning, she should 
be prepared for the punishment, and 
the teacher should also take sufficient 
time to reflect upon the matter. 

As there is a great difference between 
faults committed through malice and 
those of inadvertence or frailty, so also 
should there be a difference in their pun- 
ishment. 

Prudence requires that the teacher 
should not inflict punishments too fre- 
quently, lest the scholars become insen- 
sible to them, and they become fruitless. 

Prudence also requires that she should 
consider the manner of punishing, the 
time, and the occasion; in a word, all the 
circumstances that might render it bene- 
ficial: such as those of character, age, and 



74 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

temperament, that she may select the 
most suitable means of punishment and 
impose it so judiciously that, far from 
producing bad effects, it may become 
salutary to the guilty one. 

It is not well to punish as severely 
those who are of a timid and docile na- 
ture, and who acknowledge their faults, as 
those who are of a headstrong, rebellious, 
or hardened disposition, who deny their 
faults and resist authority. And the larg- 
er scholars should be spared as much as 
possible the shame of public humiliation, 
unless their faults should be known by 
all. Faults against holy purity should not 
be punished openly unless they are known 
to the majority of the scholars, to pre- 
serve, as much as possible, the reputation 
of the offenders. 

II. The Three Conditions necessary to Ren- 
der Correction Beneficial to those who Re- 
ceive it. 

i. Correction should be accepted will- 
ingly. To cause it to be accepted thus 
the teacher should represent to the guilty 
ones the seriousness of their fault and 
the strict necessity they are under to 
make reparation for it, whether for their 
own benefit or for the sake of example to 
their school-mates. 



Mildness. 75 

2. It should be received in a respect- 
ful manner. The scholars should recog- 
nize the obligation of the teacher to 
punish their faults, and their own in sub- 
mitting to it. 

3. It should be accepted silently, with- 
out murmuring, outcries, or complaint. 

After all that has been said it is easy 
to see that the wise and prudent mildness 
which should actuate the teacher will not 
prevent the use of correction to further 
the end in view, but that on the contrary 
it makes use of it She should, to this end, 
explain to the children the regret she feels 
in being obliged to correct them, but its 
great necessity and the real harm she 
would do them were she to overlook their 
bad habits; the need there is for them to 
begin to form such habits as will fit them 
for society as well as enable them to fulfil 
the duties of their station in life; that there- 
fore it is most important for them that they 
be admonished and corrected when neces- 
sary, as well as instructed in the faithful 
performance of their duties; that the 
momentary pain they suffer now will be 
productive of good for the remainder of 
their lives, and that when older they will 
appreciate the great benefit of having ac- 



j 6 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

quired virtues of which they will then 
appreciate the full value, and which will 
render them agreeable to those by whom 
they are surrounded. 

It is to be understood, then, that the 
true mildness of a good teacher consists 
in seeking nothing but the amendment 
and benefit of those whom she corrects 
and the fulfilment of her mission, in ex- 
acting nothing save with circumspection, 
and then in awaiting with patience the 
obtaining of all that she desires. 

Finally, it is easy to understand how 
carefully a teacher should avoid all irony 
or sarcasm. Far from being the means 
of correcting her scholars, these would 
only serve to embitter them against their 
teacher and render her exertions almost, 
if not entirely, useless. Scholars who 
have lost respect and esteem for their 
teacher on account of wounded feelings 
receive her corrections, admonitions, and 
even instructions, coldly and unwillingly, 
for they do not easily forget that she has 
been guilty not only of the impropriety 
but even the baseness to ridicule or taunt 
them for their defects, instead of having 
warned or corrected them kindly. They 
also feel keenly the injury she has done 



Mildness. 77 

them by holding them up to the contempt 
of their companions. 

There are many other defects contrary 
to the virtue of mildness; for instance, 
excessive eagerness or sudden outbursts 
of a too ardent nature; a capricious, pet- 
tish, severe, morose, or melancholy man- 
ner; contemptuous, arrogant, or haughty 
airs; a hard or severe expression of coun- 
tenance; words full of bitterness or vexa- 
tion, or of an insulting nature, which the 
scholars will not fail to carry to their 
parents, to prejudice them against their 
teacher, and to justify their ill-feelings 
towards her and their aversion for their 
class; violent agitation; noise; rash, un- 
just, and reiterated corrections, that 
finally cause them to detest authority, 
which they consider tyrannous, and never 
fail to raise feelings of hatred and re- 
bellion, which manifest themselves when- 
ever the occasion presents itself. 

There is, however, an anger which is 
a virtue. It is occasioned by an ardent 
desire of promoting good order and reg- 
ularity. It is certainly justifiable, but 
should be reasonable and proportioned 
to the faults committed, and always sub- 
ject to control. She should exhibit this 



78 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

sort of anger either to prove her dis- 
pleasure at some faults, or to oblige 
those who have committed the faults to 
amend them; but in all cases it should be 
conformed to the advice of the Prophet: 
(Prov. iv. 5) "Be ye angry, but sin not/' 

The anger that she should guard 
against, and which is sinful, proceeds 
from an ill-regulated emotion of the soul, 
which urges her to revenge herself upon 
that which causes her displeasure. This 
sort of anger clouds the reason and blinds 
the judgment. 

" My son, do thy works in meekness, 
and thou shalt be beloved above the glory 
of man " (Ecclus. iii. 19). 

" Learn of Me, because I am meek and 
humble of heart" (St. Matt. xi. 29). 

" Blessed are the meek, because they 
shall possess the land " (Ibid. v. 4). 




IX.-ZEAL. 

a virtue that causes us to 
ardently desire the glory of God. 
A zealous teacher instructs her 
scholars by good example, and this first 
lesson is in imitation of Jesus Christ, 
Who practised His precepts before teach- 
ing them. She may arrive at the pro- 
posed end, but by a much longer road, 
if she contents herself with words; the 
shortest is that of example. Children 
learn more by the use of their eves than 
by the use of their ears. " The most strik- 
ing and efficacious words," says St. Ber- 
nard, ] "are good works and good ex- 
ample. Nothing is more persuasive than 
what one says, except the facility with 
which he practises the counsel he gives." 
The teacher is like the candle placed upon 
the candlestick, which, while it enlightens 
by its light, is consumed by its heat. She 
is zealous for the glory of God when she 
labors earnestly for her own salification. 
She likewise teaches by solid instruc- 

1 On the Life of St. Benedict, Ser. 2. 



80 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

tion. This is the second lesson that she 
imparts to her scholars. A very impor- 
tant one also; for she teaches them what 
to avoid and what to practise. This 
office certainly is a very honorable as 
well as an important one; but, as we have 
already said, how much labor and fatigue, 
as well as disgust and repugnance, has 
she not to support to fulfil it! She is 
zealous for the glory of God when she 
labors generously and disinterestedly for 
the salvation of her neighbor. 

She teaches also by her judicious cor- 
rections, which is the third and a very es- 
sential lesson. And how many things are 
there not to correct in children! There 
is in them a bad leaven, a vicious germ, 
which she will never succeed in remov- 
ing unless she makes timely and suitable 
remonstrances, and unless she allows her- 
self to be sufficiently angered to correct 
when necessary, always, however, in a mild 
and charitable manner. Thus she is zeal- 
ous for the glory of God when she labors 
with indefatigable diligence, constant love, 
and undaunted courage, to prevent her 
neighbor's sin. 

Zeal, then, in the teacher is a most ex- 
cellent virtue, and. " it is for this reason," 



Zeal 81 

says St. Chrysostom, " that he who mace- 
rates his body has less merit than he 
who gains souls to God; " and St. Gregory 
adds, " there is no sacrifice more agreeable 
to God than zeal." ' 

The characteristic of this virtue is ac- 
tivity. With what eagerness and exac- 
titude will a teacher fulfil the obligations 
of her state if she be truly zealous! As 
her first obligation is that of her own per- 
fection, she will, that she may not fall in- 
to dissipation of mind or dryness of heart, 
too commonly the consequences of pro- 
fane studies, observe most regularly her 
religious duties, such as meditation and 
vocal prayer, spiritual reading, examen of 
conscience, the frequentation of the sac- 
raments, annual retreats, etc., and will 
rather be on hand before than after the 
exercises have begun. It will make no 
difference to her whether her duty is of 
less or greater importance, easy or diffi- 
cult: it suffices that the Rule ordains it; 
she is always ready, she flies where duty 
calls her, is contented, and remains there 
as long as is necessary. 

Her second obligation, which is the 
education of children, she fulfils with most 

1 L. i. On Ezcchiel, Horn. 12. 



82 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

laborious care, in all its tedious details. 
How will any teacher be able to sustain 
a duty that requires the greatest courage 
if she be not animated with great zeal for 
the perfection of the children confided to 
her care? She should feel the tenderness 
and solicitude of St. Paul for the Gala- 
tians, which he expresses in the following 
words: " My little children, of whom I am 
in labor again, until Christ be formed in 
you " (Gal. iv. 19). Thus she will place 
all her joy and satisfaction in instructing 
with unrelaxing zeal and without any ex- 
ception or distinction all the children, 
whether they be ignorant and unquali- 
fied or capable, rich or poor, well or badly 
disposed, Catholic or Protestant, etc. 

As she should ardently desire the sal- 
vation of her scholars, she will labor for 
it as much as possible by her good works, 
her prayers, her Communions, etc., con- 
vinced that there is not a single soul 
amongst them which has not cost the 
blood of Jesus Christ; and she will en- 
deavor to instruct them as to what they 
must do to profit by that most blessed re- 
demption. 

But true zeal is not only active, it is also 
prudent and enlightened. A teacher who 



ZeaL 83 

is truly zealous for the perfection of her 
scholars should make herself all to all, ac- 
cording to the example of the Apostle: lit- 
tle with the little, that is to say, she should 
adapt herself to their age and capacity, 
their weakness, their want of intelligence 
and even reason, while with those who 
are capable of comprehending it she 
should rise to a higher grade of instruc- 
tion, and thus instruct all with profit. 

She should not adhere too tenaciously 
to a course of instructions according to 
rule, but should judiciously make use of 
such occasions as are never wanting to 
set before them apparently incidental 
maxims and examples of morality, which 
will be more acceptable and produce 
better effect than an evidently prepared 
instruction, against which the scholars 
are sometimes on their guard. 

Finally, her zeal should be courageous 
and charitable. She would then act with 
fortitude and suavity. With fortitude, 
because she would be magnanimous and 
not easily discouraged in painful or diffi- 
cult cases. With suavity, because she 
would be mild, tender, compassionate, 
and humble; in a word, she would be 
conformed to the spirit of Jesus Christ. 



84 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

A teacher is wanting in zeal: i. When 
she is indifferent and does not exert her- 
self to do all that she possibly can to 
further the interests of God, above all by 
example. For children naturally imitate 
that which they see done by those set 
over them, and unhappily they are more 
prone to imitate the evil than the good; 
they remember better one occasion in 
which there is a want of virtue than 
many perfect examples; 2. When she is 
not in earnest in laboring for the perfec- 
tion of her scholars, and when she neg- 
lects to procure them all the assistance 
necessary, as her profession obliges her 
to do; 3. When she is indifferent to her 
own perfection, which would be an ob- 
stacle to their advancement in virtue. 

There is a false zeal, also, which it is 
very easy to recognize: 1. When in cor- 
rection passion is its principle; 2. When 
the correction is prompted by displeasure, 
antipathy, or revenge, or when it is the 
effect of self-love, humor, or inclination; 
4. When in teaching she prefers one class 
to another, or to live in one city rather 
than in another, through vanity, love of 
ease, or because it is to her individual 
advantage; 5. When she prefers certain 



Zeal. 85 

scholars to others on account of some na- 
tural advantage; 6. When she is desir- 
ous of making known her success and 
the trouble she has taken for the advance- 
ment of her scholars; 7. When she is 
pleased at praise or flattery; 8. When 
she is displeased because others suc- 
ceed better than herself; 9. When she 
warns or reprimands in insulting lan- 
guage, with heat, bitterness, or without 
discretion or considering that an impru- 
dent zeal often occasions more evil than 
a discreet zeal can do good; 10. When 
she is irritable, cutting, or harsh in man- 
ner ; 11. When she gives way to sadness, 
discouragement, murmuring, and com- 
plaints; 12. When she is solicitous rath- 
er for that which is temporal than for the 
glory of God and the spiritual advantage 
of her neighbor; 13. When she refuses 
to take counsel of those who are appoint- 
ed to guide and direct her. 

" I most gladly will spend and be spent 
myself for your souls " (II. Cor. xii. 15). 

" Woe is unto me if I preach not the 
Gospel" (I. Cor. ix. 16). 

" Let your zeal be animated by charity, 
enlightened by knowledge, strengthened 
by constancy, that it may be fervent, cir- 



86 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

cumspect, invincible; that it may not be 
lukewarm, nor indiscreet nor timid " (St. 
Bernard^ Ser. 20 upon C&nto of Cant.). 




X-VIGILANCE. 

•igilance is a virtue that makes us 
exact in fulfilling our duty. The 
teacher should possess this virtue 
not solely for her scholars' good, but for 
her own likewise. 

She should keep continual guard over 
herself, over every thought and affection, 
over her senses, and finally over her 
whole interior as well as exterior, so as to 
do nothing but what is proper and in ac- 
cordance with her profession. 

The faults of which she might be 
guilty by failing in vigilance would be 
prejudicial to the proper education of 
children, and would inspire them with 
contempt and aversion for her. 

The teacher should also be vigilant 
over her scholars: she is their visible 
guardian angel. If her absence or inat- 
tention (for one is equivalent to the 
other) gives opportunity to the enemy, 
who is continually around them, trying to 
rob them of the precious treasure of their 
innocence, what answer will she make to 

87 



88 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Jesus Christ when He demands an ac- 
count of their souls, and to His re- 
proaches for having used less vigilance 
in guarding them than the demon did to 
cause their perdition. 

From this it follows: i. That the 
teacher should never quit her class, un- 
der the pretext that an associate teacher, 
whose class may adjoin hers, will pre- 
serve the good order in both classes. If 
she absents herself it should only be of 
strict necessity and for as short a time as 
possible. Her presence is very neces- 
sary to oblige the scholars to apply them- 
selves, and it also prevents them from 
yielding to negligence and distraction, 
the sources of so many faults, and which 
give occasion for reprimands and even 
punishments which might have been 
avoided had she been at her post. 

2. She should take notice of all that 
passes in the class; nothing should escape 
her observation. By vigilance she caus- 
es the scholars to be punctually in their 
places, apply themselves diligently to 
their tasks, perform all their duties faith- 
fully, and keep all that belongs to them, 
such as books, slates, copy books, etc., in 
good order. Vigilance extends to every- 



Vigilance, 89 

thing, directs, sustains, animates all: 
prayer, meditation lecture, assisting at 
Mass, and daily duties; in a word, there is 
nothing it does not regulate. 

3. A teacher should watch over all the 
scholars in general when she is appointed 
to be with them, always, however, acting 
so prudently that they may not be con- 
scious of her espionage; and should there 
be externs among them, she should be on 
the alert to discover all that passes be- 
tween them, not only in the class, but be- 
fore and after school hours and even in 
the street; and if she cannot accomplish 
this herself she should know it from 
monitresses she may select from among 
them. She could also learn much that 
might be of use to her in this respect 
from some of the more reliable scholars, 
whom she should make understand that 
it is solely for the purpose of benefiting 
those whom they are required to watch 
as well as a desire for the public good 
that she allows them to assist her to put 
into effect the advice of the Apostle: 
" Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark 
them who make dissensions and offences 
contrary to the doctrine which you have 
learned" (Rom. xvi s 7). 



90 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

4. Above all other places, it is in the 
church that the watchfulness and solici- 
tude of the teacher should be vigilant, to 
oblige the children to comport themselves 
with that attention, modesty, and respect 
that the sanctity of the place demands. 
To this end she should avoid all that 
might distract her from her watchfulness 
over them: not allowing her eyes to wan- 
der at will or fix themselves curiously 
upon any object, or even to regard too 
attentively the ceremonies of the divine 
worship, lest by doing so she might fail 
in giving to her charges the attention due 
them, knowing the consequences would 
be that, thinking themselves unobserved, 
they, too, would be inattentive and dis- 
respectful. 

5. The vigilance, finally, of the teacher 
should extend even to the future. The 
experience of the past will suggest to her 
precautions against a recurrence of any 
delinquencies. She foresees the conse- 
quences of the children's faults, and by her 
precaution is able to prevent them, for 
children usually, before committing a 
fault, assure themselves that they will not 
be seen by their teacher, whose correction 
they usually fear even more than her eyes. 



Vigilance. 9 1 

This vigilance, however, should never 
be suspicious, for in such a case it would 
be opposed to charity and also to justice, 
and would cause her presence to be 
embarrassing and annoying to the schol- 
ars. 

This close attention should be free 
from constraint, agitation, or affectation; 
for, as she should never omit all the precau- 
tions that strict vigilance requires, neither 
should she fail by excess. In wishing to 
procure good deportment of her scholars 
she should do so in such a manner as not 
to cause them to become hypocrites. 

The teacher should avoid the following 
defects as being contrary to vigilance: 
giving her attention to anything besides 
the duty of the present moment; useless 
conversations with the scholars, externs, 
or even her associate teachers; dissipation 
of mind, indolence, distaste for her class, 
and slothfulness. 

Besides these defects she should also 
avoid all sudden motions, not observing 
how the scholars are occupied and the 
manner in which they acquit themselves 
of their duties, and not occupying herself 
continually in maintaining order and dis- 
cipline. 



92 The Virtues of a Good Ttacher. 

" Take heed to yourselves, and to the 
whole flock" (Acts xx. 28). 

" Be thou vigilant, labor in all things, 
do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy 
ministry " (II. Tim. iv. 5). 

" We have a great trust confided to us 
and to our vigilance, which is that of our 
children. Let us take the greatest pos- 
sible care of them, and let us be careful 
that the cunning thief, who is most desir- 
ous of souls, does not carry them away 
from us to make them his prey " (St. John 
Chrysostom upon the First Epistle to 
Timothy). 



XL-PIETY. 

^P^iety is a virtue that causes us to 
jjtof acquit ourselves properly of our du- 
<Q^ ties towards God. This requires 
that we fulfil them with fervor and respect, 
and that we render Him the respectful 
homage that is due to His infinite great- 
ness, and that we should endeavor to 
serve Him perfectly. 

A teacher should possess this virtue in 
an eminent degree, and it should be ear- 
nest and sincere. She should be a shining 
example, exhibiting exteriorly the interior 
sentiments w r ith which she is filled. 

What is, in reality, the Christian teacher? 
She is one into whose hands Jesus Christ 
has placed a certain number of children 
purchased with His blood, for whom He 
has given His life and in whom He dwells 
as in His own temple, whom He regards 
as His members, His sisters. His co-heirs, 
who will reign with Him, and with Him 
glorify God for all eternity. And for 
what end have they been confided to her? 
Is it solely that she may make of them per- 



94 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

feet writers, good arithmeticians, learned 
women? Who would dare assert this or 
even think it? No! He has confided 
them to her precisely that she may pre- 
serve in them the precious and inesti- 
mable virtue of innocence, which has been 
conferred upon their souls by Baptism. 
This, then, is the final end of the educa- 
tion of children; all the rest is but the 
means to this end. 

It follows, therefore, that the teacher 
should be most solicitous to form them ac- 
cording to the teachings of religion, and 
that for that end she should apply her- 
self, as we have already said, to instruct 
them solidly in the mysteries of their holy 
faith, laying great stress on those which 
are the most essential, such as an implicit 
belief in the creed; the laws of God con- 
tained in the Ten Commandments; the 
Commandments of the Church, and the 
necessary dispositions for receiving the 
sacraments worthily. 

She should remind them of the promis- 
es made for them in Baptism and also the 
renunciations made in their name, the es- 
teem they should have for the graces they 
then received, as well as for the grace of 
perseverance. She should explain to them 



Piety. 95 

the obligation they are under of assist- 
ing at the holy sacrifice of the Mass on 
Sundays as well as on holy-days of obliga- 
tion, and the great benefit they receive 
from attending it at other times; the man- 
ner in which they should assist at it, which 
should be as full of interior recollection as 
of outward respect. She should oblige 
the children to procure prayer-books, and 
to always make use of them when in 
church. 

She should teach them the necessity of 
prayer, the manner and time in which they 
should fulfil this most important duty, 
which is upon awakening and before go- 
ing to rest, as well as in times of danger or 
temptation, and she should require them 
to know the ordinary prayers, which they 
should be taught to recite distinctly and 
correctly. 

She should teach them to render their 
actions meritorious by offering them all 
to God, and to ask His assistance in per- 
forming them; also how they should prof- 
it by every suffering or affliction, and the 
necessity of submitting with resignation 
to the will of God in time of sickness or 
in other trying circumstances of life; how 
to acquit themselves of the obligations of 



96 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

their state of life; how to avoid the oc- 
casions of sin and of being the occasion 
of it to others. 

She should explain to them the Chris- 
tian and moral virtues of Faith, Hope, and 
Charity, wisdom, prudence, fortitude, tem- 
perance, justice, uprightness of heart and 
action, modesty in conversation and de- 
portment, respect and submission to ec- 
clesiastical and civil rulers, the immortal- 
ity of the soul, the end of man, etc., etc. 

She should, besides inspiring them with 
a solid devotion to the Blessed Trinity 
and to Our Lord Jesus Christ, inculcate 
an ardent love for the Blessed Virgin, 
St. Joseph, their guardian angels and 
patron saints, as well as great confidence 
in their intercession, and explain to them 
the reason for such sentiments; and to en- 
courage them the more, she should occa- 
sionally reward those who are the most 
faithful in these practices. She should 
sometimes relate to them edifying exam- 
ples drawn from the lives of the saints and 
other holy persons, for they usually make 
a greater impression upon the minds of 
the children than do longer discourses 
and the best of reasoning. 

Finally, she should ceaselessly impress 



Piety. 97 

upon them the strict obligation they are 
under of preferring their salvation to all 
that this world can give them. Thus she 
will implant in them those qualities which 
constitute good Christians, good mothers, 
and women of virtue in whatever state of 
life they may be placed by Divine Provi- 
dence. 

We should here observe that in giving 
religious instructions to children it is nec- 
essary to diversify and simplify them, 
suiting them to the capacity of her hear- 
ers. It is not sufficient for her to oblige 
them to study and repeat daily lessons in 
catechism, but she should explain them in 
clear and simple language adapted to their 
comprehension. The teacher who fol- 
lows this course and gives the example of 
all these virtues will infallibly produce 
good fruit. 

Such are the principal matters upon 
which the teacher should instruct her 
scholars; but how will she be enabled to 
«:ive them such an education and form 
them perfectly to a Christian life if she 
be not replenished with the virtues she 
desires to instil in them? We have, then, 
good reason to exact that her piety be 
fervent and solid, and for this end she 



98 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

should take Jesus Christ for her model, , 
and His teachings for the foundation and 
principle of her conduct. Thus she will 
despise the things of earth, which are only- 
passing; the praises of men, which have 
no substance; and the pleasures of this 
world, which are so illusive and dangerous. 

The teacher fails in piety when she 
speaks of God in a perfunctory manner, 
without feeling, and without being thor- 
oughly penetrated with the truths of re- 
ligion; she fails in it also when she allows 
the children to say their prayers hurried- 
ly, without pausing, in too loud a tone, 
in a disrespectful or unbecoming manner, 
or without recollection; when she allows 
them to neglect, or do carelessly, without 
attention and fervor, certain practices, 
such as taking holy water, making the 
sign of the cross, genuflecting, and their 
manner of conducting themselves during 
prayer, such as posture and attention. 

" Exercise thyself unto godliness. God- 
liness is profitable to all things, having 
promise of the life that now is, and of 
that which is to come" (I. Tim. iv. 7, 8). 

" Carefully study to present thyself ap- 
proved unto God, a workman that need- 
eth not to be ashamed, rightly handling 
the word of truth " (II. Tim. ii. 15). 




XII-GENEROSITY. 

enerosity causes us to sacrifice 
voluntarily our own interests to 
those of our neighbor, according 
to the advice of St. Paul, who said that 
he sought not that which was profitable 
to himself but to many (I. Cor. x. 23). 

By this definition we see that this vir- 
tue is not an ordinary one, but, on the 
contrary, a sublime one; for the sacrifices 
it inspires are voluntary, and the objects 
considerable. 

It causes us to make them freely, for 
one is not generous who gives to others 
only that which is theirs by right, or that 
which she is compelled to give. Its ob- 
jects are considerable, because, generally 
speaking, she is only generous when she 
relinquishes her own rights in favor of 
others, or when she gives them more than 
they have a right to expect. 

We can, then, regard generosity as the 
most sublime of sentiments, as the prime 
mover in all good actions, and indeed as 
the germ of all virtues. 
99 



ioo The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

Let us apply this virtue to a good 
teacher, for, from the definition we have 
already given of it, it is easy to see that 
generosity is peculiarly necessary to her, 
and in a very great degree. 

She made a voluntary sacrifice and a 
sublime one when she offered herself of 
her own free will to labor for the good 
of her neighbor in the instruction of 
children, and principally those of the 
poor. 

And in what does this sublimity con- 
sist? To enable her to carry out her in- 
tentions she consecrates herself to God 
by an act in which she renounces all the 
goods of the world by the vow of poverty, 
its pleasures by that of chastity, and her 
entire person, which she offers as a holo- 
caust, by that of obedience: is not this a 
sublime sacrifice? 

Although by it she gains for her neigh- 
bor advantages of infinite importance, far 
from procuring for herself any temporal 
advantages, she glories only in the most 
perfect disinterestedness. What sublim- 
ity is there not in this sacrifice, of which 
her generosity is the mainspring! 

She devotes herself, not only for a 
time, but for life, to this duty, which, al- 



Generosity. 101 

though so excellent, is most laborious 
and repugnant to nature, and which, far 
from appearing great in the eyes of men, 
on the contrary strikes them as abject 
and base. She regards it, however, as 
the one object of her life, of her continu- 
al application, her solicitude, her study; 
and her great desire is that her scholars 
may be benefited, so that she may be 
able to say with the Apostle: "I most 
gladly will spend and be spent myself for 
your souls." Of how many virtues, then, 
is not generosity the germ! 

To explain yet more fully the great- 
ness of generosity, it may be compared in 
nobleness to magnanimity, in usefulness 
to beneficence, and in tenderness to hu- 
manity; and has not the generosity of 
the Christian teacher these three charac- 
teristics? 

It is as noble as magnanimity. The 
Christian teacher rises above all affronts, 
contradictions, and injuries, which she re- 
sents and revenges only by continual and 
assiduous labor, and the weariness and 
disgust she experiences in her onerous 
duty of the careful training of children. 

It is as useful as beneficence. The 
Christian teacher renders very great ser- 



102 The Virtues of a Good Teacher, 

vice to the children, to their souls as 
well as their bodies; she gives them her 
continual care, she forms them to all the 
Christian and social virtues, she teaches 
them most important lessons, and those 
of infinite advantage to them during their 
lives. 

It is also as tender as humanity. The 
Christian teacher applies herself to ren- 
der her scholars happy by her instructions, 
her counsel, the example she sets them, 
and all the assistance of which she is ca- 
pable; she compassionates their weakness, 
she strengthens them against bad habits, 
and forms in place of them good ones; 
corrects their vicious inclinations, such as 
insolence, pride, self-sufficiency, idleness, 
and indocility; she teaches them to seek 
to mitigate their sufferings by the con- 
solations that religion affords and with 
which she has already acquainted them; 
she bears with their faults and repre- 
hends them only when necessary; she 
teaches them the means of preserving 
themselves from the corruption of the 
times; and all this she does through the 
loving desire she has of making them 
Christian women, useful members of so- 
ciety. 



Generosity. 103 

We would add that generosity includes 
a judicious liberality. She should give 
rewards to the scholars to excite their 
emulation, to encourage them to do right 
and avoid evil, but, she should use great 
discretion and give them only to those 
who really deserve them, without distinc- 
tion of person, and but rarely; for if they 
should become too common, the scholars 
would become indifferent to them. 

The generous teacher will esteem her 
vocation, and neglect nothing that may 
be of assistance to her neighbor; she will, 
when necessary, multiply her instructions 
even to prodigality, whether they be of a 
general or special character, and without 
any other motive than the advantage of 
her neighbor and the greater glory of 
God. 

She would fail in this virtue if care for 
herself be carried too far under pretext 
that teaching is injurious to her health, 
or if she seeks rather her own advantage 
than the improvement of her scholars, 
when pursuing such studies as she is ob- 
liged to to fit herself for teaching. 

She fails again if she should retain for 
herself, or give to others than the schol- 
ars, the rewards that may have been given 



104 The Virtues of a Good Teacher. 

her for them. She would also fail in re- 
ceiving too costly presents from her schol- 
ars, or if she should seek to attract praise 
or flattery; in a word, she fails in this 
virtue when she desires any other advan- 
tage than that which should be desired 
by a truly Christian teacher, which is that 
which may be of use to her neighbor, of 
edification to herself, and for the greater 
glory of God. 

" I also in all things please all men, 
not seeking that which is profitable to 
myself, but to many, that they may be 
saved " (I. Cor. x. 33). 

" I most gladly will spend and be 
spent myself for your souls " (II. Cor. 
xii. 15). 



CONCLUSION. 

i uch is the explanation of the neces- 
us) sary virtues of a good teacher. 
It is founded upon the plan gen- 
erally adopted for the proper education 
of children, the four principal means of 
which are to cause them to esteem, love, 
respect, and fear her; and we see that 
the twelve virtues of the good teacher 
comprise these means, and that there is 
not a single one of these virtues which 
does not include at least one or more of 
these means. What facility, then, will 
they not procure the teacher to succeed 
in her avocation when united, and in 
what an eminent degree should she not 
endeavor to acquire them all! 

Practise them, then, O teacher! with 
zeal, and you will feel assured, according 
to the words of the Apostle, " that He 
Who hath begun a good work in you 
will perfect it unto the day of Christ 
Jesus " (Philipp. i. 6). { 

If you have not yet attained the perfec- 
tion of these virtues, reanimate yourself 

105 



106 The Virtues of a Good Teacher* 

with new fervor to acquire them in the de- 
gree necessary for you, and to avoid with 
more than usual care the defects opposed 
to them. This will be the true means 
to procure the greater glory of God and 
to render more beneficial the education 
of the children confided to you. 

All that we have said proves that in 
striving to educate children, and for this 
purpose sacrificing herself, a good teach- 
er can apply to herself the words that 
the Apostle addressed to Timothy: " For 
in doing this thou shalt both save thyself 
and them that hear thee " (I. Tim. iv. 16). 

Thus she will have every reason to ex- 
pect, if she is faithful to her obligations, 
" a crown of justice which the Lord, the 
just Judge, will render in that day . . . to 
them that love His coming (II. Tim. iv. 
8), a crown infinitely glorious, for, as we 
have already cited in a passage from St. 
Chrysostom, ' " he that macerates his body 
by austerities has less merit than he who 
gains souls to God." 

" There are," says the same saint, "two 
ways that lead to salvation. In one of 
these we labor for ourselves alone, and 

i Page 81. 



Conclusion. 107 

in the other we labor for our neighbor as 
well. We must acknowledge that fasts, 
corporal austerities, continence, and simi- 
lar virtues are useful for the salvation 
of him w 7 ho practises them, but that alms- 
deeds, instructions, and that charity which 
is beneficial to our neighbor are more 
exalted virtues " (Horn. 78 upon the 
words: "Who, thinkest thou, is a faith- 
ful and wise servant? " — St. Matt. xxiv. 

45)- 

He says in another place that "one 
single soul that we gain to Jesus Christ 
will efface many sins, and become the 
price of the salvation of our souls " 
(Horn. 39 to the people of Antioch). 

Esteem yourself happy, then, to have 
embraced a career in which, assured of 
your own salvation, you have the pre- 
cious opportunity of instructing others 
and laboring for the salvation of their 
souls. 



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